


Sing

by trumpeterofdoom



Category: Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Popslash
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-19
Updated: 2011-04-19
Packaged: 2017-10-18 09:20:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/187351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trumpeterofdoom/pseuds/trumpeterofdoom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In his head he could still hear him crooning, smooth as honey with that raspy undertone that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Howie and Justin made their way to the table and joined in the conversation, but all Brian could think about was AJ’s smoky gaze, the way he held the mic stand, and the way his voice touched a raw nerve in his body.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sing

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2004 Don We Now Our Gay Apparel challenge for sinden.

The club was almost full by the time Kevin and Brian entered, full of cigarette smoke and the low hum of people talking. The piano and drumset were up on stage already, behind three stools and three microphones. An alto saxophone sat snugly in its stand at the side, the gold surface reflecting the dim lighting.

"Doesn’t seem to be crowded as you said it would be, Kev."

Kevin looked his watch. "It’s early yet. They only start their set at nine." He caught sight of someone waving his arms frantically in the middle of a crowd, and steered the both of them towards him.

They settled themselves around one of the numerous small wooden tables scattered around the club. Graffiti adorned the tabletops, with band names and vulgarities scratched into the heavy oak. The club was one of the city’s more established venues, with a long legacy of jam sessions that spawned a famous musician every decade or so. The walls were covered with framed, and sometimes autographed pictures of jazz greats that had performed there over the years.

"Chris, this is my cousin Brian. Brian, Chris."

"The one who works in the church? Cool!" Chris said. "I’ve always wanted to meet a man of the cloth."

Brian chuckled. "I’m hardly a priest, I’m only helping out there until I figure out what to do with the rest of my life."

"Yeah, but you have extra help in finding your way from the guy up there." Chris raised his eyes heavenwards, and made a big show of looking all over the place. "Speaking of finding, did anyone see Carter, or is he late again?"

"I’m right here, you freak," said a voice that came from behind Brian. A tall, blond man settled down into the seat next to him and winked. "Hi, I’m Nick. Kevin’s said a lot about you."

"I’m beginning to think that Kevin’s said too much about me already." Brian grinned back in return. "You guys come every week?"

Nick nodded. "Pretty much. I met Kev here one night and we just ended up hanging out."

Chris snorted. "That’s just because the both of you are banging members of the band. I bet you compare their – " He yelped suddenly, dodging Nick’s hands and narrowly escaped being noogied. "No fair! You’ve got a height advantage you mangy little – "

"Shut up. Both of you." Kevin clapped his hands over Chris’ mouth. "They’re gonna start."

The band had walked up on stage in the middle of their banter, and at some signal the whole club shushed into silence, eyes and ears trained onto the six member band. The singer stood at the mic stand dressed in a shimmery dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to him elbows, revealing a multitude of intricate patterns inked into his skin. The piano opened the song with a lush introductory chord, and after that Brian knew why Kevin could never stop telling him about jazz night.

The band played not as six individuals, but as one being. The music was tight, the seamless melodies weaving their way through the club, making people tap their feet along with the music. What really stood out though, was the singer. The voice that came out of him seemed to be made just for singing jazz. It was utterly sensuous, raspy and smooth at the same time, and seemed to pierce right through Brian's soul. He had a very good range as well – Brian had sung in church choirs for long enough to know that the singer possessed a powerful baritone that was rare in the performing circuit.

He nudged Kevin in the ribs. "Who’s the one you’re seeing then?"

Kevin nodded to the guitarist at the side of the stage, providing back-up vocals to the main melody. "That’s Justin," he said, and pointed out the rest of the band for Brian’s benefit. JC was the shaggy-haired pianist who was completely absorbed in the music, head bobbing along to every little nuance he coaxed out of the instrument. Joey the drummer and Lance the bassist were roommates at college, and were the ones who had started the band. Howie the saxophonist had been dating Nick for as long as anyone could remember.

"And then there’s AJ." Kevin nodded to the singer. "We haven’t really talked to him yet. Seems a nice enough guy, but he usually goes out for a smoke after the set. Doesn’t really hang around the club like the others do."

The set ended, and Brian watched as AJ slipped out quietly into the night. In his head he could still hear him crooning, smooth as honey with that raspy undertone that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Howie and Justin made their way to the table and joined in the conversation, but all Brian could think about was AJ’s smoky gaze, the way he held the mic stand, and the way his voice touched a raw nerve in his body. He shifted in his seat and pretended to pay attention to Chris and Nick’s good-natured bickering.

***

Brian started going to the club every Wednesday night with Kevin after that, and tried various times to catch hold of AJ for…something. He wasn’t quite sure what he wanted from the other man, but Brian was getting frustrated. He actually managed to bump into AJ a few times before he escaped into the nippy autumn night, but all he got was a muttered "Sorry" and the swish of a coat in return as AJ walked away briskly. After a month of jazz nights, Brian still hadn’t managed to get a chance to introduce himself.

Brian did notice, however, that the singer always exited the club by a certain door at the back, which was how he found himself standing outside the same door in the cold as the band finished their set.

When the door opened, Brian tossed out a chirpy "Hey." He was rewarded with the sight of AJ stopping dead in his tracks and raising an eyebrow.

"Hi," he said cautiously, and proceeded to light a cigarette, the flame flaring up and flickering in the strong wind. Brian pulled his coat tighter around himself and suppressed a shiver.

"I’m Brian."

A nod. "I know," AJ said, and oh, his speaking voice was just as glorious as his singing. "You’re the cousin of that guy Justin’s seeing, right?" He leaned against the wall and puffed away nonchalantly, breathing out smoke circles into the air.

Brian had waited for weeks to talk to AJ, but now he couldn’t seem to form words with his mouth, much less hold a proper conversation with him. AJ’s body was sleek and pantherine even off-stage, and Brian longed to mould his hand to the hollow of the hip that was peeking out from under the hem of his shirt.

"You’ve got a great voice," he said suddenly, "I could listen to you forever."

AJ returned the compliment with a smile and shrugged. "It’s what I do to pay the bills." He stubbed out the cigarette and moved towards the door. "I’d like to chat longer, but the next set’s starting soon."

Brian stepped forward. "I’m in charge of the church choir at St. Martin’s, and we’re in need of good baritones," he said quickly. "I was hoping that you could join us, what with the Christmas season coming up and all."

AJ stared back at him. "That’s what you wanted to ask me?"

Brian didn’t move. AJ walked towards him and stopped, standing right in front of him. He reached out and swiped a thumb across Brian’s cheek. Brian found himself holding his breath in anticipation.

"The way you were going on, I didn’t…" AJ shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.

"I…" Brian began, but he can’t find the words to say. "But I…"

"This isn’t a joke, is it? It’s not everyday that some church choirboy comes up and hits on me and – "

"It’s _not_ a joke." Brian frowned. "I just…"

"Look, joke or not, you’re cute. Real cute, okay?" AJ brought his face closer to Brian’s and he heard AJ mutter "And I sure as hell hope I don’t regret this," before their lips met.

It wasn’t a perfect kiss. The wind was whipping around them, sending the withered leaves on the ground into flight and blowing mercilessly into Brian’s coat. But AJ’s lips were soft and smooth and warm, and Brian couldn’t help but wonder when he last felt like his legs were going to buckle beneath him.

AJ stepped away from him and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Shit. I’m sorry. I have to go."

"Wait." Brian grabbed his hand at the last minute, his fingers feeling the cool metal of the rings AJ wore. "I said it wasn’t a joke. I _do_ want to get to know you better, and I do want you to join us in the choir this Saturday at three o’clock."

AJ stilled. "I have to go," he said, and his hand slipped out of Brian’s.

***

"You asked him to join the _choir_?" Kevin said incredulously.

Brian threw a pretzel at him. "It was the only thing I could come up with at the time! What did you expect me to do?"

"Oh, I don’t know, you could’ve just done something completely random. Like ask him out for a date." Chris dodged the pretzel that came flying at him. "Hey, remember, those are _my_ pretzels."

"Then why aren’t you eating them?" Brian said. "And where on earth are the other three?"

"Justin called to say that Nick’s car is stuck in traffic downtown. There’s a bad accident on 42nd." Kevin walked into the room, balancing trays of snacks in both his hands. He set them down on the table. "So you went up to him, asked him to join the choir, and got shot down?" He raised an eyebrow. "That was pretty quick."

Brian groaned and lay back on the sofa. "Don’t remind me."

"Hey, don’t sweat it, man." Kevin sat down beside and put an arm around the younger man. "You’ll be okay. You’re not usually this tongue-tied when you’re trying to hook up with someone, if my memory serves me correctly."

"On the other hand, I don’t exactly have the best luck with guys either." Brian sighed. "It was bad enough when the kids at church found out."

Kevin ruffled Brian’s hair affectionately. "The parents were just tight-asses. Besides, Father Smith dealt with them pretty well."

"He’s been great, letting me help out and all."

"There shouldn’t be any reason why you shouldn’t help out in the youth group. You’re funny, great with kids, and real caring." Kevin chuckled. "If I weren’t family, I’d pick you up just like that."

Brian laughed. "Right. I wonder what Justin will say to that."

***

It was four-thirty, and there seemed to be an eternity before practice ended at five-thirty. Brian’s neck was sore from tiptoeing and craning his neck, trying to catch sight of the people walking in and out of the church. Kevin poked his side and Brian frowned at him.

"He’s not going to come, cuz. Justin told me that AJ’s pretty damn stubborn when it comes to things like this."

"There’s no harm in hoping, you know." But somehow, Brian didn’t really believe his own mantra anymore.

Practice ended without a hitch, and there was still no sign of the jazz singer. Brian waved off Kevin’s offer of a ride home and walked out of the church with his head down. He almost fell over when he bumped into someone, and quickly righted himself.

"Hey," AJ said, and Brian’s first thought is that AJ looks younger when his face isn’t shrouded by the shadows in the club. "I know I’m late, but. Um."

Brian smiled broadly. "There’s always next week, you know."

They stood there for some time in silence, AJ shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"I, uh. I was wondering if you were free now," he said.

"I’m sorry, but I’ve got to help back at the church for the next counselling session."

"Oh." AJ looked disappointed. "Um. Mind if we had a little walk instead?"

Brian glanced at his watch. "Why not? I've got a couple of minutes to spare."

They found themselves wandering in the middle of the nearby park. Most of the trees had shed their leaves already, but ever so often a blaze of red and yellow would appear, and their feet crunched in the layer of fallen leaves. It was really quite a nice day.

"I know we started off on the wrong foot, but…" They both started, and then laughed.

"I’d like to take you out for dinner tonight." AJ placed his hand on Brian’s cheek. "See if we can still salvage this."

Brian’s heart was doing flip-flops in his chest. "I’d love to."

"Pick you up at the church at seven?" AJ leaned in and kissed Brian on the cheek.

"That’ll be good. Yeah."

AJ smiled, his face lighting up. "See you," he said, giving him one last kiss and walking away.

Brian was late for his counselling session, but he didn’t care.

The smile stayed on his face for hours.


End file.
